Automatic weighing-machine.



PATBNTED OCT. 8, 1907.

J. H.I MGLBOD. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1907.

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ATTORNEYS PATBNTBD 00T. '8, 190m J. H. MoLEOD. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 27, 1907.

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ATTORNEYS No. 867,745. PATBNTED CCT. s, 1907. J. H. MALECD. AUTOMATIC WEICHINC MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1907.

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AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.27, 1907.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 5 /NVENTO/ JDHN H MI: LBUD A TTORNE Y S ruf Nonms PETERS No. 867,745. PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

J. H. MGLEOD. AUTUMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.27.1907.

9 SHEETS-SHBET 6.

W/ TNESSE S /NVENTOH l Qa/M JnHN H MCLEUD ATTORNEYS PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

J- H. MoLECD. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 27. 1907.

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J. H. MoLEOD.

AUTOMATIC WBIGHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED rm. 27. 1907.

PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

W/TNESSES A /NVNTOH PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9 /A/VENTOH ImHN HMGLEDD A TTOHNEYS J. H. MGLEOD. AUTOMATIC WBIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED H1327,v 1907.

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JOHN I-I. MCLEOD, OF LA SALLE, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct, 8, 1907.

Application ned rebmmy 27,1907. semi No. 359,630.

To all ywhom it may cof/wcm:

3e it known that I, JOHN II. MoLEoD, a citizen oi' the United States, and a resident ot' La Salle, in the county ol' Lasalle and State oi Illinois, have invented an Improved Automatic Weighing-Machine, of which the vl'ollowing is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in automatic machines lor weighing grain or other substances, and is oi that class in which the grain is received into a stationary hopper or bucket which is so connected with a graduated weighing beam as te tilt the latter when duly Filled, whereupon the valve or gate closing the mouth ol the weighing hopper is automatically opened to allow discharge of the contents.

My invention is more particularly an improvement upon the scales or automatic weigher covered by U` S. Letters Patent No. 706,442, granted August 5, 1902, and Patent No. 841,038, granted January S, 1907.

By my improvement I have reduced the number of parts, or in oth er words, simplified the construction and reduced the weight and cost ot' the two previous machines, and at the same time secured increased etliciency.

The details of construction, arrangement, combination and operation o parts are as hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which (Sheet 1) Figure 1 is a side view oi the machine or apparatus adjusted for receiving and weighing grain or other articles. (Sheet 2) Fig. 2 is a front elevation ot the machine. (Sheet 3) Fig. 3 is a central vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. (Sheet 4) Fig. 4 is a plan view oi the machine. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the means or mechanism ior operating the register. (Sheet 5) Fig. G is a horizontal section on the line 6-G ot Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7-7 oi Fig. 1, the same being taken through the lower portion of the hopper and the gate therefor. Fig. S is a detail section on' the line 8 8 of Fig. 1. (Sheet G) Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the machine similar to Fig. 1, save that the weighing hopper, a cutolii valve, and the weighing beam are shown in the position they occupy when the hopper is descending by reason ei accumulation of a predetermined weight oi grain therein. (Sheet 7) Fig. 10 is a side view ofthe apparatus similar to Fig. 9, save that the hopper and weighing levers have been restored to their normal position, and the gate or valve of the weighing hopper has been opened to allow discharge of the contents. (Sheet 8) Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the fixed re,- ceiving hopper with one of the cut-offs or valves closed, corresponding in this respect to Figs. 9 and 10. Fig. 12 is an end view oi the same hopper, showing both the valves or cut-offs closed. (Sheet 9) Fig. 13 is a vertical section on the line 1S-13 of Fig. 1. Fig. 14 is an enlarged side elevation ot' the upper portion of the niachine-partsbeingbroken away-showing the cutotis oi the receiving hopper locked open. Fig. 15 is a vertical section on the line 15-15 of Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a detail sectional view illustrating the lock by which the gate or discharge valve ot' the weighing hopper is held closed.

The machine presents precisely the same appearance on two opposite sides, one of which is shown in Figs. 1, 9, and 10. In other words, all the parts for operating the cut-offs and the gate connected with the respective hoppers, are duplicated on opposite sides of the machine.

The operative parts, fixed and movable, ol the niaehine or apparatus are mounted upon or arranged within a rectangular frame 1 which is preferably constructed of hollow iron bars connected at their ends by stout angle pieces. A receiving hopper 2 is supported by standards 3 upon the main trame 1, and within it, as shown in Fig. 3, is arranged a small hopper 4 into which the grain or other material is discharged from a spout, whereby its fall by gravity is broken or arrested to a suliicient degree. From the larger receiving hopper 2, the grain passes into the weighing hopper 5. In this case, unlike the previous machine, the said hopper is pivoted and supported directly upon the weighing levers 6, the means ot suspension being brackets 7 whose horizontal ends rest upon studs fixed in the inner ends oi the weighing levers G. The latter are supported and pivoted upon brackets 8, and their outer ends are connected by a cross bar from which projects an arm 6 from which a weighing weight 9 is suspended by means of a rod 10 arranged in a guide bracket 11 attached to the front sill oi the ramel. Each of the weighing levers 6 is provided with a [in 6b which is graduated, as indicated in Fig. 1, and upon which is arranged a slidable weight 12 for balancing the weighing hopper. A weight 13-see Figs. 1 and S-is applied to the rear side of the hopper 5, it being supported by a horizontal bracket 14. This weight serves to balance the hopper so that it will swing properly on the pivots 7.

As in the machine forming the subject oi the application before referred to, two grain cut-offs valves 15 and 1G, are employed, the same serving when closed, as shown in Fig. 12, to entirely cut oft' the discharge ol grain from the lixed hopper 2 into the weighing hopper 5. In practice, the valve 15 closes a little in advance of the other 16, instead of thus reducing the ilow or stream of grain while valve 16 cuts ofi this-attenuated stream. The valve 15 is supported from the fixed hopper 2 by hangers 15, and the other valve 16 is similarly supported by hangers 1G". The inward movement oi the valve 15 is also limited by a loop 17 which slides on a vertical bar 18 as in the patented machine referred to. The loop or bar 17 serves as before as a means for arresting the inward movement of the cut-ofi 16, as may be required or weighing wheat, rye, corn, oats, etc. A latch bar 19 is pivoted at one end to a downwardly proj ecting portion of the reducing valve 15, and its notched free end engages a pin 20 fixed in the upper looped por v tion of a lever 21 which is pivoted at 22 to the weighing hopper 5-see Figs. 1, 9, and 10. The cut-off 16 Ais provided with a longer latch bar 23, whose notched portion engages a pin-24 in the looped upper end of an elbow or angle lever 25, the same being pivoted at its angle 26 to the weighing hopper 5. The lower' end of the pivoted lever 21, which the latch 19 of valve 1 5 engages, is conne'eted by a bar 27 with the upper arm of the angle or elbow lever 25. The lower arm of the latter works in a keeper 25L and is connected by a bar 28 with a lever arm 29 with which the gate or valve 30 of the weighing hopper is provided Such gate is pivoted at 31 at one side of the mouth or discharge opening of the hopper 5-see especially Figs. 3 and 10. A weight 32 is applied to the lever arm 29 for balancing the gate. The latter is shown closed or in normal position in all the figures, save l0, where it is open as required for permitting discharge of a load from the weighing hopper. When the gate opens its arm 29 strikes upon stops 291L attached Yto the weighing hopper. l

As previously intimated, all the parts above referred to as connected with the reducing and cut-off valve and the gate, are duplicated on the opposite sides of the machine. The gate or valve 30 of the weighing hopper 5 is held normally closed by a lock bar 33 whichy is provided with a shoulder 34 that engages a roller 35 mounted rotatably on a pin in .the outer looped or slotted end of a bar 35LPL which is attached to the side of the hopper 5 in nearly horizontal position and extends forward therefrom. The angle lever' 25 before referred to, is also pivoted to this bar, which is thus extended across the hopper merely for strengthening the latter. It is apparent that so long as the notch of the lock bar 33 engages the roller 35, the gate 30 cannot be opened. For holding the lock bar 33 in such position, while the hopper is being filled, I provide a pivoted dog or latch 36, the same consisting of a bar pivoted to the weighing hopper at 37 and arranged horizontally, its inner end being movable in a vertical guide 38 attached to the hopper. The outer end of the dog or latch is provided with an anti-friction roller 39 which engages or is in contact with the lock bar 33 at the lower end of a notch 40 formed in the latter. The outer end ofthe dog or latch 36 is supported by a hanger 4:1, consisting of a bar attached to the upper cross bar of the main frame and bent at a right angle at its lower end which projects under the latch bar as shown in Fig. 2. It is obvious that if the hopper should descend, so as to carry the notch 40 of the lock bar 33 down, and thus bring its apex or deepest part opposite the roller 39 of the latch 36, the shoulder of the lock bar 33 would no longer be held in firm engagement with the roller 35 of the fixed bar 36 and consequently the weight of grain pressing upon the gate would force the lock bar upward as shown in Fig. 10. In other words, the gate swings open on its pivot and the lever 29 connected with the gate presses the lock bar 33 upward. When an amount of grain or other substance has been received into the weighing hopper 5 which is sufficient to overcome the weight 9 suspended from the weighing lever 6, the latter will obviously rise or be tilted as shown in Fig. 9. At the same moment, the reducing valve 15 closes as there shown. This is effected by contact of latch bar l 19 with a right angular stop 42-see Figs. 9 and 10. Said stop is secured to the upper side bar ofthe frame 1, and its horizontal or lateral arm projects beneath the latch bar 19. The latter as before described, is normally in engagement with the pin 20 of lever 21 pivoted to the hopper 5, and thus the cut-off is held open for discharge of grain from hopper 2 into the weighing hopper 5. As the latter descends, the lever 21 being carried with it, its pin 20 is removed from contact with the latch bar 19, which at the same time strikes upon the stop 42 so that it is raised or thrown upward as in Fig. 9, wherebythe 'cut-off 15 swings to the closed position by gravity. Practically at the same moment, the dog 36 which as hitherto held the lock bar 33 engaged with the roller 35, as in Fig. 1, releases the lock bar, since the llatter is carried down with the weighingrhopper while the free or outer end of the dog 36 is prevented from falling by means of the hanger 41. Consequently as the hopper descends, the roller 39 in the outer end of the dog 36 is brought opposite the notch 49 of the lock bar 33, so that the latter has suflicient freedom of movement to allow it to escape from engagement with the roller 35 and slide upward as shown in Fig.- 10. It is obvious that this unlocking movement will be effected by the weight of grain pressing on the gate 30. The other cnt-off 16 must, however, be closed before the gate allows discharge of grain from the weighing hopper. The opening of the gate 30 effects release of the left Ahand cut-off 16 so that it swings to the closed position shown in Figs. 10 and 12, this being effected through the medium of the connecting bar 28 which tilts ther angle lever 25 on its pivot 26, so that the upper memjber of lsaid lever 25 swings backward and the latch bar 23 follows the same so that the cut-off 16 closes by gravity. 4The hopper 5 returns almost instantly to its original position, or so soon as a small quantity of grain has run out of the hopper, sincev the load on the weighing levers will no longer balance the weighing weight 9. The gate, how'- ever, remains open as in Fig. l0, until all the grain has run out,4whereupon it is restored to its normal position, Fig. 1, by the balance weight 32 applied to its lever arm 29, and the dog 36 ren'gages the lock bar 33 and holds it in a locked position as before. The closure of the gate 30 also opens'the valve or cut-off 16 by reason of the fact that through the connecting bar 28, the angle lever 25 is swung on its pivot soy that the pin 24 in its upper end rengages the shoulder of the latch bal-23 and pushes the cut-'off 16 back to the required position. Thus by the tilting or swinging movement of the angle lever 25, the cut-off 16 is opened positively and closes byY gravity. The opening of the other orreducing valve 15 is also effected byrengagement of its latch bar 19 with the pin 20 of lever 21, such engagement taking place when the hopper rises to its original position after descending as beforedescribed. When the gate is open as in Fig. 10, the lever 21 is in nearly vertical position by reason of the connection of its lower end with the angle lever 25 by means of the bar 27. Consequently the pin 20 in the lever 21 is engaged with or in position to engage with the shoulder of latch bar 19. As the gate 30 closes, the upper member of the angle lever 25 is swung to the left-see Fig. 1-and the upper arm or member of lever 21 is swung to the right so that the latch bar 19 is pushed backward far enough to openA the cut-off l5.

Recapitulating briefly the operation, when a load sutlicient to balance the weighing weight 9, has been received in the hopper 5, it descends a short distance and the cut-oil` 15 and the gate 30 are practically released simultaneously, and the cut-off 16 also closes. The hopper and the weighing levers G are almost instantly restored to position, while the gate 3() remains open; and aiter all the load is run out, the gate closes and is again locked, while the valves 15 and 16 are again opened, and the operation oi iilling and discharging the weighing hopper repeated. For guiding and steadying the lower end oi the hopper in its vertical movement, a bai-L13 is attached to the side sill oi the frame 1 and an anti-friction roller-lll mounted on a stud projecting .l'rom the side ol the gate lever 29 works in contact with a right hand edge oi such guide. The suspension oi the hopper' from the shorter arms oi the weighing levers 6 and the provision oi the guide 43 prevent any undesirable swinging movement; of the hopper. The weights 1S applied to the bar14 on the back oi thehopper 5, are graduated so as to hold the rollers 44 in easy but constant engagement with the vertical guides 43, itwill be seen that by hanging the weighing hopper directly upon the weighted weighing levers 6, I dispense with a supplemental supporting frame surrounding the hopper and in which the latter is pivoted, and I also dispense with lever mechanism intervening the hopper and the weighing levers as in the two prior machines to which reierence has been made, and I thus greatly simplify the machine and reduce its cost and weight, while increasing its cl'liciency. 1t will also be seen that the gate or valve oi the hopper 5 is operated for opening and closing by mechanism connected with the hopper itseli and not by means independent oi it further, that the gate is connected with one oi the cutotfs so that the operation of the latter depends directly upon the opening and closing oi the gate,

When the hopper gate opens as shown in Fig. 10, the roller l-'l projecting laterally irom its lever arm 29, comes in contact with the inner end oi a lever 45 which is pivot/ed to a verl ical bracket or arm Li6 attached to the trame and thus tilts said lever 45 so that it bears down upon a lever -il which is similarly pivoted t0 a Vertical arm or bracket. 4S at tachcd to the iront sill of the trame. Thi. lever 47 connected-see Figs. 2 and 5-by a rod lil with a lever 50 which is pivoted in a vertical arm or bracket; 51 attached to the upper iront cross bar oi the i'ramel. The right hand end oi the lever50 works ina vertical slotted guide 52, and the lel't hand end is curved upward over a register 53 which is supported upon brackets 54. When` the hopper gate opens, the levers-15,47 and 50 are all tilted as will be understood l'rom dotted lines Fig. 5, and consequently the spring dog 511 oi the registe is pushed inward, thus operating the register autoniatically. lVhon the hopper gate 30 is restored to its normal position, the lever' mechanism which inierates the register is also restored to normal position by gravity.

l claim:

1. ln a weighing' machine, the combination with a l'i'ame. a receiving` hopper, o weighing hopper and weighing' eighted levers pivoted upon the upper portion of the traine, the weighingl hopper being' suspended directly from the shorter arms oi said levers, a pivote( gate for closing the mouth ol' the hopper, a lever' arm connected with the gate. a vertical guide bar attached to the lower p0rtion ol' the trame, and a lateral projection of the gate arm which works in contact with such guide as the hop-` per descends and rises in the weighingl operation, substantially as described.

2.111 a weighing machine, the combination with a frame, and weighing levers pivoted thereon, of a weighing hopper pivotcd on the shorter' arms of said lovers, a balance weight applied to the outer side of the hopper, a stop and guide arranged on the opposite side ot' said hopper and attached to a fixed portion of the trame, a part connected with the hopper being arranged l'or contact therewith as the hopper rises and falls, substantially as described.

3. ln a weighing machine, the combination with a trame, and a receiving' hopper, of a movable cut-oil for the latter, the weighted weighinglevers pivoted on the trame, a swinging hopper pivoted on said levers and hav ing a pivoted gate which normally closes the mouth of the same, a notched latch bar pivoted to the aforesaid cut-olf, a lever pivoted to the hopper and its upper end provided with a pin i'or engagingl the said latch bar, and means connecting' the said lover with the gate whereby the closingr of the latter opens the cut-oli, substantially as described.

4. In. a weighing machine, the combination with a frame, and a receiving hopper, of a movable reducingr valve lor said hopper, weighted weighingT levers pivoted on the frame, a weighing hopper supported directly on said levers, a pivoted gate which normally closes the mouth of the weighing' hopper, a lever mechanism attached to the hopper, a latch bar pivoted to the aforesaid valve and engaging said mechanism a stop fixed on the frame and adapted for engagement with the said latch bar, whereby it is raised out of engagement with the lever when the hopper descends, thus allowing the valve to close, substantially as described.

5. ln a weighing machine, thecombination with a trame and receiving hopper, of: a swingingcut-oft provided with a latch bar, a weighingr hopper and weighing levers upon which it is hung, a gate pivoted to the lower end of the hopper and normally closing,- its mouth, and mechanism for operatively connecting such gate with the latch bar ot' the cut-oit. whereby as the gate opens and closes the cut-oit closes and opens correspondingly, substantiall'y as described.

6. ln a weighing machine, the combination with a frame, and a receiving hopper, or' a swinging cut-oft having a notched latch bar, a weighing hopper and weighted weighing levers pivoted on the frame and supporting said weighing hopper, a gate tor closing the mouth ot the weighing hopper, a lever pivoted to the hopper and its upper end engaging the latch of the cut-oil, and means for connecting such lever with the gate whereby as the latter opens the cut-ofi. is allowed to close and when the gate closes the lever is operated to open the cut-ott, substantially as described.

i. In a weighing machine, the combination with a trame and a receiving hopper, of two swinging.- cut-Otis for the latter', a weighingT hopper supported below the i'eceivingl hopper' and pivoted weighinglevers upon which such hopper is directly supported, latch bars connected with the respective cut-o1rs, levers pivoted to the hopper and their upper ends provided with pins for engagingl shoulders of said latch bars, a bar connecting' the two levers, a gate pivoted to the lower end ot the weighingv hopper and normally closingT its mouth, and a bar connecting it with the lever mechanism for operating the cutoi'fs whereby when the gate closes after discharge ot a load, the levers connected with the latches oi the two cut-offs are shifted on their pivots so as to move the cutols backward to the open position, substantially as described.

S. ln a weighing machine the combination with a frame, and weighted levers pivoted thereon, of a weighing hopper hung directly on said levers, a `gate pivoted and adapted to normally close the mouth of the hopper, and provided with a laterally extended arm, a shouldered lock bar pivoted to said arm, an arm lixed to the hopper and engaging the shoulder ot' the lock bar, a dog pivoted to the hopper and engaging said lock bar for holding the gate closed, and a stop or hanger connected with the frame which serves to prevent downward movement of the free end of the dog, whereby When the hopper descends with its load the outer end of the dog is raised and releases the lock bar thus allowing the gate to open, substantially as described.A

9. In a weighing machine the combination with a frame, weighted weighing levers pivoted thereon, and a weighing hopper supported directly on the levers, of a gate pivoted to the lower end of the hopper for normally closing its mouth, and having a laterally extended arm, a lock bar pivoted to said arm, and having a notch and shoulder, a bar projecting from the hopper and engaging the shoulder of the lock bar, a dog pivoted to the hopper and a hanger for supporting its outer end, whereby it is held normally engaged with the lock bar at the edge of the notch therein, whereby as the hopper descends With its load,l the notch of the lock bar is brought opposite the dog and the lock bar thereby released, thus allowing the gate to open, substantially as described.

10. In a weighing machine, the combination with a frame, weighted weighing levers pivoted thereon, a hopper suspended from said levers, a gate pivoted to the lower end of the same and normally closing the hopper, a lock bar operatively 'connected with the hopper and detachably engaging a fixed portion of the hopper, a device for holding it thus engaged, and a device for releasing the lock bar when the hopper descends `with its load so that the gate is allowed to open automatically by gravity, substantially as described.

11. In a weighing machine, the combination with a frame and Weighing levers, of a Weighing hopper suspended from said levers, a pivoted gate for closing its mouth, a lock bar operatively connected with the gate for holding it normally closed, a dog pivoted to the hopper and engaging the lock bar, and a device attached to the frame and arranged for tripping the dog and releasing the lock bar and gate, Vsubstantially as described.

l2. In a weighing machine, the combination with the frame, pivoted Weighing levers and a hopper suspended therefrom and provided with a pivoted gate having a lever arm provided with a lateral projection, a pivoted lever with which such projection engages when the gate opens, a register mounted -on the frame, and means for operatively connecting it With the aforesaid lever whereby the register is operated when thegate opens, Ysubstantially as described.

- JOHN H. MCLEOD.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. PARKS,

Gnn'rnUDn K. PARKS. 

